Is Mega using a script to block third-party link-aggregating sites?

The third-party link indexing site says it will be back up shortly, but that's uncertain.

Last night, we wrote about Mega-search.me, a third-party crowdsourced link indexing site for Kim Dotcom's new file locker Mega.co.nz. But an hour after we published the article, all but the most recent links led to deleted files. Even seemingly innocuous file names generated a message: “The file you are trying to download is no longer available.”

This morning, mega-search has no links on its site. When you visit it, you're greeted with a pop-up in French saying:

Due to a script developed by Mega to delete all files indexed Mega-search, the engine is temporarily unavailable. A solution to overcome this problem will be made shortly.

Before mega-search.me displayed this notice, founder and editor Ernesto of TorrentFreak tried posting links on Mega-search.me to legal content that he had uploaded to Mega previously: “Our uploads included a few Dan Bull songs, a clip from the Pirate Bay documentary TPB-AFK, a video explaining fair use, and Kim Dotcom’s single 'Mr. President.'” All the links were taken down “within minutes” along with a notice claiming that someone had alleged copyright infringement on each of the links:

We are in receipt of a takedown notice affecting the following public link in your account: https://mega.co.nz/#!iRQRnLzT

Please be reminded that MEGA respects the copyrights of others and requires that users of the MEGA cloud service comply with the laws of copyright. You are strictly prohibited from using the MEGA cloud service to infringe copyrights. You may not upload, download, store, share, display, stream, distribute, e-mail, link to, transmit or otherwise make available any files, data, or content that infringes any copyright or other proprietary rights of any person or entity.

Furthermore, please be reminded that, pursuant to our Terms of Service, accounts found to be repeat infringers are subject to termination.

Ars attempted the same experiment a few hours later and found mega-search's new pop-up message and a site devoid of links. Just last night, Dotcom tweeted, “Copyright takedown notices per day: Google 450,000 vs #Mega 50.” Those numbers may no longer be accurate as there were hundreds of links on mega-search.me as of yesterday evening and none this morning. Dotcom and Mega have not returned a request for comment.

Clearly mega-search.me could be construed as a liability for Mega, especially as Dotcom is under bail conditions that prevent him from relaunching Megaupload or a similar service. Dotcom's counsel Ira Rothken told Ars in an interview earlier this month that his client “is innocent, is presumed innocent, and is entitled to innovate and work in technology like any other innocent New Zealander, especially when the US takes away all his assets and delays the extradition proceedings.” Creating a script to kill all files that receive traffic from a site like mega-search.me may be key in proving to authorities later that Dotcom is satisfying the condition of not creating a business similar to Megaupload, which had an "uploader rewards" program for users who uploaded and shared popular files.

But what about the people who want to share legal and fair use files with many other people? Clearly, a number of legal files that were posted on mega-search were removed from Mega automatically. Mega's Terms of Service (TOS) are not explicit about prohibiting posting links with decryption keys on third-party sites. The TOS does explicitly state that Mega is not responsible for lost data, specifically due to buggy services. Mega also warns that if users make URLs with decryption keys public, the owners of those files are responsible for the actions of the people who download the file, although legally shared media should not cause a problem that would result in its takedown.

Perhaps the site justifies the takedown of legal files due to burdensome levels of traffic to its site: the TOS states that users are prohibited to “do anything that would damage, disrupt or place an unreasonable burden on our website or service or anyone else's use of our website or a service including but not limited to denial of service attacks or similar.”

Mega also reserves the right to remove any data “alleged to be infringing” but sets up a rather stringent vetting process for copyright infringement allegations, requiring no fewer than six kinds of information—from “a physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf” to “a statement by you that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.”

Evidently, such a complete allegation of infringement is not always necessary for a takedown. It is unknown whether Mega will update its TOS to address this new roadblock in the brand new company's growth. If it does, it would neither be surprising nor in poor judgment for the creator of a company to protect his new business from more legal troubles. But with such currently vague terms, and without an edit to the terms of service, users might feel a little betrayed.

54 Reader Comments

The man is shell shocked, the last thing he wants to do is sit in jail for another minute. Even if in the past he was promoting posting copyrighted content, I seriously doubt at the moment he wants anything to do with anything illegal. At the very least until he clears this case they have on him. The man has knows he has lots of MPAA and RIAA and other agencies looking to prove the man is still up to no good, If anything I am sure the man lost a lot of sleep, and is been extremely careful.

I am sure an edit to the tou will happen. He has an awesome free service. I have an account, but I am not using it for posting content of any type, just for off site copies of programs I use routinely. I am sure my comment will be trolled on due to how many MPAA and RIAA troll this site.

It seems they are clearly trying to deny 3rd parties an easy profit from indexing files. I do not have an account, nor do I want one, but can anyone verify that their legal content link is shut down, if they post it, lets say, on their own person website?

Few legitimate users will want anything to do with something from K.D. Pirates will simply move on to somewhere more reliable - somewhere less "ethical" and/or hates America enough to wanna screw one of our most powerful industries (Venezuela anyone?). I just don't see how he's going to make any money from this in the end - certainly not enough to support it long-term.

Few legitimate users will want anything to do with something from K.D. Pirates will simply move on to somewhere more reliable - somewhere less "ethical" and/or hates America enough to wanna screw one of our most powerful industries (Venezuela anyone?). I just don't see how he's going to make any money from this in the end - certainly not enough to support it long-term.

Have someone create an indexing site that isn't ostensibly linked to him and funnel a portion of revenue from that site that uses all types of malware to make money?

I would just like to say that this seems like a very balanced article, describing both the apparent legal rationale and the frustration it could cause legitimate users. Impartiality is unfortunately quite rare when it comes to file-sharing coverage. Great reporting, Megan!

"#Mega policy: NO PROACTIVE COPYRIGHT POLICING OF THE INTERNET. That's not our job. But linking sites abusing the Mega brand will be blocked."

It will seem that all linking sites that link to MEGA will now be blocked whether or not the files are copyright or not.

How do you read that from what Kim Dotcom tweeted? He said, "but all linking sites abusing the Mega brand will be blocked." I'd say a site not owned by Dotcom named mega-search.me is definitely abusing the Mega brand to attract users. When I first saw the name, I assumed Dotcom was behind it.

"#Mega policy: NO PROACTIVE COPYRIGHT POLICING OF THE INTERNET. That's not our job. But linking sites abusing the Mega brand will be blocked."

It will seem that all linking sites that link to MEGA will now be blocked whether or not the files are copyright or not.

How do you read that from what Kim Dotcom tweeted? He said, "but all linking sites abusing the Mega brand will be blocked." I'd say a site not owned by Dotcom named mega-search.me is definitely abusing the Mega brand to attract users. When I first saw the name, I assumed Dotcom was behind it.

That sounds about like it. When I first saw the name of that link site, I too thought it was officially linked to Dotcom and Mega. I can see why Dotcom might not be so fond of that given his current legal situation.

The real test would be to find a link site that doesn't use the Mega name, and see if links to legit files are removed like they have been from link sites that "abuse" the Mega name.

I would just like to say that this seems like a very balanced article, describing both the apparent legal rationale and the frustration it could cause legitimate users. Impartiality is unfortunately quite rare when it comes to file-sharing coverage. Great reporting, Megan!

Thank you John! Criticism is always welcome but compliments are printed out and posted on the refrigerator.

Question for the Editor: have your test files that were posted to the Mega-Search.me been removed from your account at Mega, or did they just invalidate the link?

We were not able to upload our test files to mega-search, because by the time we tried it had posted the pop-up saying Mega wrote a script to delet files posted on mega-search. The TorrentFreak editor did post his files, and the link remained but lead to a "file not found" notice on Mega.

Question for the Editor: have your test files that were posted to the Mega-Search.me been removed from your account at Mega, or did they just invalidate the link?

We were not able to upload our test files to mega-search, because by the time we tried it had posted the pop-up saying Mega wrote a script to delet files posted on mega-search. The TorrentFreak editor did post his files, and the link remained but lead to a "file not found" notice on Mega.

Not quite the question I was asking…

If you go to your account on Mega are the files still there?

EDIT: As a software developer I can think of dozens of ways to create links that represent the same file. That way I could invalidate one link but leave the files intact. I wanted to know if that’s what they were doing to you, or if they were being just jerks.

Question for the Editor: have your test files that were posted to the Mega-Search.me been removed from your account at Mega, or did they just invalidate the link?

We were not able to upload our test files to mega-search, because by the time we tried it had posted the pop-up saying Mega wrote a script to delet files posted on mega-search. The TorrentFreak editor did post his files, and the link remained but lead to a "file not found" notice on Mega.

Not quite the question I was asking…

If you go to your account on Mega are the files still there?

Oh I see. Yes, according to TorrentFreak, the files are removed and you are sent a notice that Mega has received a takedown request. Unfortunately we couldn't verify, but yes, the file is removed (and in the TorrentFreak article linked in the body of this article, other users who linked to mega-search had their files removed too.)

Oh I see. Yes, according to TorrentFreak, the files are removed and you are sent a notice that Mega has received a takedown request. Unfortunately we couldn't verify, but yes, the file is removed (and in the TorrentFreak article linked in the body of this article, other users who linked to mega-search had their files removed too.)

Mega will be a target for the RIAA and MPAA and their paid saboteurs. I have little doubt these groups will employ people to upload illegal content...and then they will point to this contracted illegal content as reasons for shutting Mega down.

We have already seen the RIANZ trumpet the prosecution of anonymous file sharers found guilty of infringing New Zealand's "three-strikes" law...and one was fined NZ$606. But we have no way of knowing who these "guilty" people are as their identities are not made known. I can easily imagine a PR company seeing a NZ$606 fine as an extremely cheap way to get blanket media coverage about illegal downloaders being caught (as we saw over the past 2 days in New Zealand).

Even more oddly, Kim Dotcom's helicopter had to make an emergency landing early this week because a wire had been disconnected, interfering with proper operation of the fuel system.

Dotcom has every reason to be paranoid. There is no doubt at all 'they' really ARE out to get him. Trashing his public reputation will be the first step. So this is what we are seeing now. Classic propaganda techniques.

The impression I got from Mega is that it's supposed to be a file locker service for individual use. I'm honestly not sure of the technical details so this interpretation could be completely wrong, but what makes it unique is that the data is encrypted before/during upload such that copyright holders wouldn't be able to successfully scan for potential infringing content (assuming they had the link, which I'm guessing relative to how it was described being used by others in the comments here).

For Mega to completely shut out public file sharing via linking sites, regardless of copyright status, makes sense in order to maintain safe harbor. They're making the tradeoff that users may be able to host "illegal copies" of content so long as they're not then sharing the links and keys to countless others.

If you're trying to share files publicly, there are plenty of other services probably better adapted and probably much more efficient than what Mega is apparently designed for.

Fetishquest wrote:

This story is insignificant.

What went on in Appleland today?

Was Timmy at work on time? Did he exceed his scheduled break times?

Maybe Apple added more than the usual allotment of styrofoam peanuts to a customers order?

Those things are news. They are the stories I come here for.

Apple section is that way bro. ------------------------------------------------>

Even if in the past he was promoting posting copyrighted content, I seriously doubt at the moment he wants anything to do with anything illegal.

He has been taking down perfectly legal material falsely claiming that they were infringing on copyright.

Kimdotcom has gone from crying about being the victim of bogus DMCA requests, to using them himself.

You think Kim's sitting there checking every link? No of course not, he just has a little crawler that links to mega files, and has them deleted.

Just labeling things as copyright infringing en masse without actually checking them out, exactly as the RIAA and MPAA have done. This is what Kimdotcom was complaining about before and is now what he himself is doing.

"#Mega policy: NO PROACTIVE COPYRIGHT POLICING OF THE INTERNET. That's not our job. But linking sites abusing the Mega brand will be blocked."

It will seem that all linking sites that link to MEGA will now be blocked whether or not the files are copyright or not.

Deleting legitimate files that people have stored in their accounts because they are linked on a site that he says 'abused his brand', is far worse than any rationale that the media coporations have used for taking down his material. This just confirms him as a greedy hypocrite.

"#Mega policy: NO PROACTIVE COPYRIGHT POLICING OF THE INTERNET. That's not our job. But linking sites abusing the Mega brand will be blocked."

It will seem that all linking sites that link to MEGA will now be blocked whether or not the files are copyright or not.

Deleting legitimate files that people have stored in their accounts because they are linked on a site that he says 'abused his brand', is far worse than any rationale that the media coporations have used for taking down his material. This just confirms him as a greedy hypocrite.

The man is under a magnifying glass, he has to cover his self or go to jail. It a no brainer he scared out of his wits. Think about it, if it was you who thought you had your self covered only to get raided and put in jail, and not be sure if your gonna be even able to make bail, because the justices think your so rich you are a flight risk.

This guy has all to loose, he gonna cover his ass the best he knows how, even if it means loosing money.He is out of the file sharing business, like a smart drug dealer. Once caught, only the dumb ones return.

The man is under a magnifying glass, he has to cover his self or go to jail. It a no brainer he scared out of his wits. Think about it, if it was you who thought you had your self covered only to get raided and put in jail, and not be sure if your gonna be even able to make bail, because the justices think your so rich you are a flight risk.

This guy has all to loose, he gonna cover his ass the best he knows how, even if it means loosing money.He is out of the file sharing business, like a smart drug dealer. Once caught, only the dumb ones return.

Which means, if this is true, that the champions of strong copyright are still winning, no matter what happens with the MU lawsuit. They got megaupload shut down, and they've got everyone doing more than what the law requires (apparently vastly more) in order to placate them.

I hope this isn't what's actually going on; that'd be more depressing than copyright news usually is.

"#Mega policy: NO PROACTIVE COPYRIGHT POLICING OF THE INTERNET. That's not our job. But linking sites abusing the Mega brand will be blocked."

It will seem that all linking sites that link to MEGA will now be blocked whether or not the files are copyright or not.

@CorbyThat is one interpretation, another is to say that because Mega-Search is clearly using the MEGA name and the MEGA "M" Logo sphere, that he is using its obvious infringement on the MEGA "IP" as a reason to scrape its index at this time while he manages to avoid personal liability from ventures like this as obviously Mega-Search lines itself up to try to look as much like it is run by MEGA staff as possible, even if in writing it is not.As others have said, he's Shell-shocked, and rightfully so, look what he has been through! Look what is happening to people in IT all over the world, the student in Montreal, "weev" and the AT&T issue, the list goes on. It is very much a NUKE FIRST and bury the survivors later world on the internet. Looking like an affiliate is enough reason to push the shiney red launch button.

@Xavin darknet indexing is probably best for everyone

@Dawnrazor how do you propose they "block the site"? The site isn't making copies of the data, isn't hosting files itself, it is simply an index of Uniform Resource Locators. Even if they placed a re-direct on their page that caused people from that source site to not receive content, that doesn't stop me from copy and pasting the URL into my browser's address bar. "Right Click - > Copy Link Location -> Right Click - > Paste and Go"

Give the Internet time to form a solution, we have a lot of smart and creative people working on the problem.

Another option could be that Kim's telling the truth about him not "policing" the internet, however there's a legal firm somewhere that's taken the idea that everything on mega that's shared is going to be pirated therefore they are acting on behalf of their customers by having an automated script that fires off DMCA requests to everything that's uploaded to a small list of known search sites.

Few legitimate users will want anything to do with something from K.D. Pirates will simply move on to somewhere more reliable - somewhere less "ethical" and/or hates America enough to wanna screw one of our most powerful industries (Venezuela anyone?). I just don't see how he's going to make any money from this in the end - certainly not enough to support it long-term.

I don't hate America you dumb ass, and the most powerful industries you talk about keep screwing themselves. It looks like your "tight pants" have cut off the blood circulation to your brain.

Oh come on, why the hell should mega allow others to ride on their coat tails? what is it with parasites like indexers who some how believe it is their 'human right' to ride on the coat tails of another organisations success only to whine when an organisation turns around sand says 'no, we don't want you to do that with out data' and then block them. Quite frankly if you want to share files then it is up to the uploader to decide how it is shared and who it should be shared with - those idiots who think they can 'make it big' by indexing other content should do something remotely useful instead of being a pack of parasites.

What I don't like about the search site is that it seems intent on ruining this for everyone. If I have some files on there that I want to share with my brother or a client or someone, I can give them that file. (Just as I could with a USB stick or DVD or CD) And no one will be the wiser and it's all good. We get to share whatever files we want in a private manner. The way it's always been done since there was copyrighted material. The problem is not when I share a file with my friends, it's when I share it with the world. Scott Adams best encapsulates that with way he cares about Dilbert copyright. You can email it to your friends or print it for your cubicle, but you can't collect them all and put it on a public website.